Azealia Banks Performs In Tel Aviv Draped In Israeli Flag, Says “I Love The Jews” [Video]

Azealia Banks isn’t one to back down, and her latest performance in Tel Aviv proves it. The Harlem rapper took the stage at the Ganei Yehoshua amphitheater Thursday night, wrapped in an Israeli flag, wearing a Star of David necklace, and telling the crowd, “I love the Jews, my love story with the Jews goes far, far back.” The statement came during her first major show in Israel in years.

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Her performance came at a time when most international artists are avoiding Israel due to the ongoing war in Gaza and the global cultural boycott movement. But Azealia, who has become increasingly outspoken about her support for Israel, showed no hesitation. She used her concert to send a message, telling fans that every time people try to cancel her for her beliefs, she only grows stronger. Toward the end of her set, she changed into a shirt featuring the name of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reinforcing that this was more than a performance; it was a statement.

Earlier in the week, she visited several symbolic locations across Israel, including Yad Vashem, the country’s Holocaust memorial museum, and the Nova Festival site, the scene of the 2023 Hamas massacre that killed hundreds. Her visit coincided with the two-year anniversary of the attack, and she posted emotional messages about remembering the victims, writing that it was “about honoring every life taken, every family touched.”

For Azealia, this trip represents a full-circle moment. Back in 2018, she had sworn off ever returning to Israel after saying she experienced racism during a past visit. But in 2025, her stance shifted dramatically. In the months leading up to the show, she began openly calling herself a Zionist and frequently defending Israel on social media. She even criticized other Black artists for supporting Palestine, saying, “No Black person should support Palestine,” a comment that fueled weeks of heated debate online.

Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar publicly thanked Azealia for her “unwavering support” and called her a “friend to the people of Israel.”

The rapper responded by saying she doesn’t let “cancel culture” dictate her choices and that music should unite people, not divide them. “Musicians don’t have jurisdiction over war,” she said in a recent interview, doubling down on her belief that art should rise above politics.